USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Troy > Last sermon preached in the old State Street M.E. Church, Troy, N.Y. Sabbath eve. Feb. 26, 1871 > Part 2
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The next pastor was Zephaniah N. Lewis. He was a " weeping prophet," and seldom preached without tears. After two years of faithful pastoral work he was suc- ceeded, in 1851, by Stephen D. Brown, one of the most popular and efficient members of the Troy Conference. After two successful years among a people to whom he greatly endeared himself, he was transferred to the New York Conference and stationed at Bedford street. Lester Janes next proclaimed the word of life to the people of God in this church. He remained but a year, when Halsey W. Ransom was appointed. He was a man of positive character, and has left his impress upon the church. In 1856, Stephen Parks was sent to this charge and labored most acceptably among the people, looking carefully after all the interests of the church. Failing health compelled him, though reluctant, to turn from what he had hoped would be his life work, and at the close of his term of service he located among us. I feel I am now treading upon delicate ground, and as the events of the past few years are fresh in your memory, I shall pass more rapidly, leaving some later
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hand to sketch the scenes and complete these outlines. The following pastors have been stationed here since the last mentioned date : Joseph K. Cheeseman in 1858, Ira G. Bidwell in 1860, Chas. W. Cushing in 1862, Stephen D. Brown the second time in 1864, Erastus Wentworth in 1865, and your speaker in 1868. During the pastorate of Dr. Wentworth, the new church enter- prise was started, and to him we are indebted in no small degree for the edifice now so near completion, in which our next regular service as a church will be held.
I have been much troubled in preparing the preced- ing sketch, to know what to leave out; taking in as it does a sweep of over sixty years of the history of a church replete with incidents which, rightly narrated, could not fail to interest and instruct us.
. It must be seen to be a difficult task to dwell long enough at any one point to paint the scene in all its detail, or, having even roughly sketched it, to linger admiringly beside it. Other scenes were constantly arising in the future and beckoning us forward. The events of over half a century have consequently glided by us this evening, as the panorama of a beautiful land- scape sweeps past, while we view it from the window of an express train speeding on to its destination.
There remain many facts and incidents to which we would advert, which could not properly be noticed in the chronological order to which we have hitherto been confined. We have already stated that Noah Levings was converted here, and went out from this church into the world's great harvest field to reap for God. The following persons have also gone from this church into the itinerant ranks : James C. Bontecou, J. B. Hough- taling, Merritt Bates, Wright Hazen, Asa C. Hand, William F. Hurd, Moses L. Scudder, Philetus Green,
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H. Robinson, James Hulme, Wm. McComber, John Luccook, F. G. Hibbard, C. R. Wilkins, Horace B. Knight, Daniel Mason, James Caughey. Most of these united with the Troy Conference, and J. B. Houghtaling was for twenty years its Secretary. Moses L. Scudder is at present presiding Elder of the New Haven district in the New York East Conference. Dr. Hibbard is now one of the leading men of the East Genesee Confer- ence. James Caughey has been celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic as an eminently successful revival- ist. He is a remarkable man, bold, original and unique; his soul-thrilling, spirit-stirring appeals have led tens of thousands to Christ. His first public testimony in this place after his conversion, as related to me during the past week, by a venerable member of this church, then present, was characteristic and prophetic of his future.
Many of the most prominent men of Methodism in this country have preached in the old wooden church. Bishop George has made its walls echo and ring with the burnings words of his powerful eloquence, that rushed on like a mighty cataract, with an impetuosity that bore down every opposition which had braced itself against the truth, and made his hearers passively resign themselves to an influence which was too strong for them. Here, that distinguished pioneer preacher, Freeborn Garretson, who was among the earliest Metho- dist ministers of American birth, has proclaimed the truth. Here, in their prime, Bishop Morris and Nathan Bangs have dispensed the word of life. Here, the . saintly and seraphic Summerfield was admitted to the traveling connection, soon after arriving in this country; and here, too, that youthful minister of the Lord Jesus has borne his rapt hearers heavenward on the wings of his touching and lofty evangelical eloquence, till, like
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those who had gazed on the Master's transfigured glory, they said " Lord, it is good for us to be here." Though half a century has gone since then, the rush of numer- ous years has not sufficed to wear away the impression of that hour; aged eyes have moistened and sunken cheeks have flushed, while trembling voices have told me of that sermon fifty long years ago.
Since the building of this house of worship, many of the prominent men of Methodism have occupied its pulpit. Bishop Hedding, besides preaching the dedica- tory sermon as we have already stated, often proclaimed here the word of life. Dr. Olin, too, on several occa- sions, preached here, and when in the full strength of his collossal powers has, to use the language of one who heard him often, "gone through this pulpit with the tread of an elephant." , Here, Bishop Waugh preached the funeral sermon on the death of Bishop Emory. Here, Dr. Dempster has held forth the word of life. Dr. Durbin, also in his masterly manner, has here presented the truth as it is in Jesus. " But what shall I more say, for the time would fail me to tell " of all the heroes of olden days or more recent years who have here donc battle for God-men who were tried and true, and whose glittering steel has smitten error and defended truth while leading on the militant hosts of God's elect.
There are now living two persons who were members of the society at the building of the old wood church in 1809 -John W. Mackey and Mrs. Ruby Squires, both now connected with the North Second Street Church ..
The following persons, who were members prior to 1815, subsequently removed from Troy : Caleb Curtis, William McBurney, Eliphalet King, Roger King and Abner Foster.
The following remained in Troy, and died in connec-
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tion with the church : Samuel Goodrich, Benjamin Betts, Stephen Andres, John Wright, John Loudon, Charles Lemon, William W. Whipple and Daniel Mar- vin, sr.
Of those who united before the building of this church we may mention, Dr. A. J. Skilton, Peter Bontecou, Zoroaster Comstock, Daniel Marvin, jr., John Morrison, Valentine Marvin, Jacob Adams, Thomas L. Ostrom, Thomas Archibald, Stephen Munroe, Eli Townsend, Sterling Armstrong and Lawrence Van Valkenburg. " These all died in the faith."
We may remark here, that Peter Bontecou was a steward in the church for forty five years. Dr. Skilton may be called the historian of the church, and to his labors in preserving early records we are in no small de- grec indebted for the facts presented this hour. Daniel Marvin, jr. was converted in early boyhood, for even in those days children were brought to the Saviour; yet, the propriety of his union with the church was ques. tioned by some ; they thought it incredible that one so young should become a Christian. This seems strange to us now, when childhood conversion is what we look for. He was a member of this church for more than fifty years.
Of those who are still living, who joined before the building of this church, we mention : J. G. Buswell, Wm. Tucker, Gardiner Landon, Lyman Bennett, G. D. Golden, Myron King, Waters W. Whipple and Harvey Betts.
Of those who have joined since the erection of this church, who that ever knew him will forget Alvin Wil- liams, the inan above all others of a meek and quiet spirit ; or David Witherspoon, whose solid worth was remarked by all ; or Wm. H. Manning, ever laboring
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to promote the interests of the church ; or George Bris- tol, of whom it may be said that he " walked with God ;" or Charles J. Saxe, to whom we are indebted, more than to any other, for the edifice now so near comple- tion, and whose generous heart and open hand were always ready for every good work ; or Henry Davis, whose songs of praise and ever-ready testimony have so often cheered us; or good old Father Saunders, on whose calm face we used to look as he sat within the altar on communion Sabbath ? Dear old man, he needs no cane now to feel his uncertain way along the streets of the New Jerusalem.
Perhaps it is only just to say that there is hardly an evangelical church in Troy that has not been recruited by those who here received their first impulse in the spiritual life. And there are multitudes who were " to the manor born," who were led in the tender years of childhood to this house of prayer by those who have long since passed away, but who have gone out from us to seek other spiritual homes. It is not ours to ques- tion the motives which have led to this change, but we sometimes wonder if a feeling of home-sickness does not oppress them as the memory of the past comes back, and the recollected scenes of other days are revived again. We speak these words in no narrow sectarian spirit ; we are incapable of that ; but with that manly frankness which the occasion demands, and with a heart that beats true to what we think the best church of Christendom.
We have not mentioned any of the female members of the church. This is not because there are none worthy of the honor ; for, if the records may be believed, they here, as in almost every church, greatly outnumber the male members ; and, were we to repeat the list
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this evening, there would be but little time for any other service. But, though we omit their names, their record is on high ; and many of those upon whose deeds we have gladly dwelt this hour, were indebted not a little for the positions they held as members and officers of the church, to the nameless ones whom we pass by, and in their public life did but reflect the sweet influences of home. It may be proper, how- ever, to say, in closing the historical part of our dis- course, that the oldest member of the church, or the one who has longest been a continuous member of it, is Mrs. Mary Young ; the record showing that she united July 10, 1816. She has consequently been con- nected with the State Street Church a little more than fifty-four years.
We have now taken a mental pilgrimage along the historical pathway of this church. We have seen it in its feeble beginning and its growing strength ; we have noticed the daughter churches as they have gone out from the old homestead, and have rejoiced in their prosperity and increase. A wondrous power this - of memory ; by it we are enabled to live over again the past, look upon faces which we last saw just before the coffin lid hid them from our tear-dimmed eyes, and listen to voices which used to thrill our hearts with their music. And I greatly misjudge if, as the olden days have been recalled this hour, old hearts have not grown young again, and almost forgotten that so many years have glided swift away since the times of which we have spoken.
Such a review is salutary, if it but teach us the secret of our success. This church has a history toward which none of her children need blush to point ; but we do not glory in what we are, or in what our fathers have
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been : we are thankful for the thousands who have found Christ ;* we are thankful for the influence this " mother of Methodism " in this section has had, and for the number of her daughter churches, which "rise up and call her blessed ; "; we are not forgetful of the princely men of our Israel, who have here preached the word " in the demonstration of the spirit and with power." But God forbid we should glory, save in the one great fact of the manifested presence of Divinity. We can change slightly the dying words of our great founder, and say, The best of all is, God has been with us. This has been the secret of our success as a church. When the early heroes of Methodism proclaimed the truth in rude cabins and barns, or in the open air, God was with them, and the word went forth keen and sharp as arrows spirit-speeded and divinely-guided to their mark. Then they built simple chapels ; God was with them still, and the word was yet mighty. Now, as a church, we are having costlier edifices - they are rising all over our land. It seems almost incredible, yet statistics show us that for fifty years Methodism has dedicated a church a day to the worship of Almighty God, and for the past few years we have averaged more than that. But will God be with us still ? If we must return to the simple chapels, or the log school-houses of the early days, to secure the Divine presence, we had better do it at once - we should pray, "If thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence." Nay, let these time-honored walls stand, and let the others, which rise in massive strength beside them, be leveled in the dust,
· About four thousand persons have united with the church since its organization.
t In whole or in part she has given birth to seeen churches.
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rather than " go hence " without the " presence " of God. Many things are important to the success of the church : The word of God, as an infallible rule of faith and prac- tice ; the Sabbath, coming with its holy calm, and laying its hand upon the restless pulse of care ; the sanctuary, whose doors swing open invitingly on this day, where we may come to hear that word ; ministers who shall declare to us the truth, and urge it home upon our con- sciences. All these are great blessings to the church ; but God may dispense with them all ; nay, he has done it ; with no pulpit but the rugged steeps of Sinai -no roof but the vaulted arch of heaven, God made the clouds his pavilion, and summoning his audience by the trumpet blast, which waxed " louder and louder," till the awe-struck people trembled before him, he has proclaimed his own truth and uttered his own word."
He has made angels his messengers, and even given speech to voiceless nature, that she might open her sealed lips, and speak to man. We may, then, if God wills it, and by his providence indicates it, dispense with all else ; but, as a church, we can never dispense with the manifested presence of Jehovah. We should pray, with Moses, "If thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence." There is much that is instruct- ive in the condition of the people when this prayer was uttered. They were fleeing from a cruel enemy ; they were journeying through a desert land ; they were sur- rounded by hostile nations, and were hastening toward a land of promise ; already they had arrived upon its border -now they pause - every heart is longing for the expected inheritance, every eye kindles with delight, as, encamped upon the plain of Moab, they look across the Jordan, and the hills of Canaan rise before them. " Yes, that is it," they say, "the land God swear unto
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our fathers, that he would give it them and to their children, for an evarlasting inheritance." The land for which they had sighed, while writhing beneath the iron heel of oppression ; they shall feel the Egyptian fetter and lash no more -the forty years of wilderness wan- dering are ended now. But stop ! Because of their sin- fulness, God has threatened to withdraw his presence from them. " And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned and no man did put on his orna- ments." There is wailing throughout the camp - Moses hastens into the Divine presence, pleads with God, secures the promise, " My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." Moses replies, ". If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." " Better that we tarry in the wilderness ; nay, better that we retrace our steps and seek again Egyptian bon- dage, and, holding out these hands so lately freed, beg that once more the fetters of slavery may be riveted on them. Better all this, better a thousand times, than to dwell even in the promised Canaan-land, if thy presence go not with us."
Such was Moses' estimate of the value of the Divine attendance. Such should be ours. My brethren, this is an epoch in your history; the commencement of a new era, from which the historian of future years shall begin a new chapter in the record of this church.' Pre- cisely what that chapter may contain, we do not know ; we need not know.
Mr. Cuyler likens Christians to rowers in a boat : " They sit with their backs to the bow, and cannot see what lies ahead; but the helmsman at the stern is on the lookout, and he steers the boat where he wills. So in all our godly undertakings we sit with our backs to
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the future. It is all unknown, untried, impenetrable ; we know not what the morrow may bring forth, but it is our business to pull at the oar of prayer and earnest labor. There is a Divine Helmsman who sees the future, and who holds the rudder in his hand. We have only to commit our way to Him, and then pull at the oar of duty." But will God still be with us ? The answer to this question is not so difficult as it may seem. And this answer depends upon the spirit with which we enter and worship in our new temple. The spirit that prays- earnestly, heartily prays the prayer of Moses- will receive the response which came to him. O ! my brethren, beloved, endeared to me by a thousand tender associations and memories, bear with me while I press home to-night the thought of the absolute and uncondi. tional necessity of the Divine presence. A Presence, without which we must be unprotected and defenceless; but which will be as a " wall of fire round about us," to receive and hurl back the assaults of evil as the rock- bound coast beats back the ocean billows, so that even the " gates of hell shall not prevail against us." A Pres- ence, without which the unaimed and pointless arrows of truth will scatter, producing no effect; but with which they shall speed to the hearts of the "King's enemies." A Presence, without which we may meet in gilded temples, and engage in elaborate services, aided by the most splendid ritual - while amid all this seem- ing life there reigns the icy coldness of the charnel house, and the damps of spiritual death drip from the pendants of the vaulted walls, but with which we may lie scourged and chained in " inner dungeons," and, while the soul is bathed with the serene glory of the heaven of heavens, exultingly sing :
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Content with beholding his face, My all to his pleasure resigned, No changes of season or place Would make any change in my mind;
While blest with a sense of his love, A palace a toy would appear;
And prisons would palaces prove, If Jesus would dwell with me there.
My brethren, do I not rightly judge your hearts ? Do you not all feel that that which is to be the chief attraction of our new house of worship ; that wherein is to reside its true glory, is not its architectural beauty, not anything the eye can rest upon, but the sublime fact that God will make it his dwelling-place !
We stand at its threshold ; before we enter it we will offer the prayer of Moses. As your representative, shall I do it now, and will every heart in this large audience join most earnestly in it ? O Lord, "if thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence." Hark ! the quickened ear of Christian faith catches the answer ; it comes from the " excellent glory " -it trembles on the evening air - " MY PRESENCE SHALL GO WITH THEE." We grasp the promise and look hopefully to the future. When God directed Moses at Mount Sinai to erect an altar on which to offer his sacrifices, he gave him this promise : " In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." Accordingly, when the tabernacle was reared, we read, " Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." And in all their journeyings they were guided by this mysterious cloud-pillar.
The divinely appointed signal for their removal was the lifting and moving of the cloud ; when this occurred, every tent was struck, the tabernacle taken down, and they took up their line of march whithersoever it led
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them ; when it paused, their tents were pitched, the tabernacle was set up, and the cloud settled down and hovered over it. The place they had left was as though the tabernacle had never been there, while in the new encampment God revealed his presence. So, when they were established in the promised land, and at God's command the gorgeous temple of Solomon was built, the same divine manifestation that was in the tabernacle of skins in the wilderness, was in the temple of cedar and gold in Jerusalem. At its very dedication God owned it and filled it with his glory. So also with the second temple. At the laying of its foundations, while the multitudes of Israel sang praises and shouted aloud for joy, certain aged men wept aloud with grief. They remembered the former temple, their early associations clustered around it, and they imagined that the glory had departed. But God said, "I will fill this house with glory ; the glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts, and in this place will I give peace." Thus, was God's presence in all places where his name was recorded and his worship celebrated. So it has been under the Christian dispensation. Thus it has been with this church ; the cloud has rested here for more than half a century ; the Shekinah glory has beamed from this altar and filled the house with its radiance. To-night that cloud lifts- and this is God's temple no longer. But this fountain of sacred influence is not to be sealed ; the. cloud. shall not float away beyond the reach of our vision ; it shall settle down again upon the place in which He hath chosen to record His name; there He will come unto us, and He will bless us.
LIST OF TRUSTEES,
SINCE 1817.
Abner Foster
1817-19
John Loudon. 1817-20
Jolin Wright 1817-24
Roger King
1817-20
William W. Whipple
1817-26 & 1827-28
Charles Lemon.
1819-21 & 1826-29
James Russell
1820-21 & 1827-30
George Smith
1820-22
Dennis Belding
1821-24 & 1828-31
Arthur Milliken
1821-27
Elias Disbrow
1822-27
William Chambers
1824-26
Harvey Betts 1824-28
Sterling Armstrong 1825-27
Levi Rogers
1827 -- 28
Enos Randol
1828-30
Eli Townsend
1828-34
Daniel Marvin, Jr 1829
Charles Lane
1830-33
Thomas L. Ostrom
1830- & 1833-35
John W. Mackey. .1830-34
Zina P. Egleston
1831-33 & 1834-36
Isaac W. Talman
1833-35
Jesse Anthony
1834-36
John G. Buswell
1835-47
Gardner Landon
1835-45 & 1850-59
Waters W. Whipple
1836-39
Valentine Marvin
1836-48
Charles W. Thompson 1836-12
Noah Clapp .
1839-44 & 1845-49
John F. Mclaughlin 1812-15
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William H. Manning 1844-50
Enoch Hunt 1845-18
*Lyman R. Avery 1847-50 & 1867-71
John Christie 1848-50
Joseph Hillman 1848-49
John Archibald 1849-52
*John M. Corliss. 1852-71
Gilbert D. Golden
1850-59
Isaac W. Crissey
1850-52
Elizur S. Brainard
1851-57
Eliphalet R. King
1852-56
Albert C. Gunnison.
1856-59
Othniel W. Edson
1858-61
Charles J. Saxe
1859-67
Alanson D. Wilcox.
1859-62
*Reuben Peckham
1801
*George A. Stone
1862
*Perrin W. Converse 1866
*George B. Cluett 1866
Edwin A. Burrows 1866-68
*Sidney T. Cary . 1807
*J. W. Alfred Cluett. 1868
*Stephen Parks 1868
* Present Board of Trustees.
D 285189.
6%
MAY 75
N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA
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